Which ONE of the following individuals believed communities were most justly governed by the “general will” or “majority rule” of their citizens? Select one:
a. Rousseau
b. Montesquieu
c. Voltaire
d. John Locke
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is a. Rousseau.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a prominent philosopher of the Enlightenment, is best known for his work “The Social Contract” (1762), where he introduces the concept of the “general will.” According to Rousseau, a just society is one where the collective will of the people, expressed through the general will, is the guiding force in governance. He argued that true freedom is achieved when individuals align their personal desires with the collective interest, allowing the community to thrive as a whole.
Rousseau’s idea of the general will is not simply the majority rule in a direct sense, but rather an ideal that represents the common good, ensuring that the interests of society as a whole are prioritized over individual or factional interests. The general will reflects what is best for the community, and it can sometimes diverge from what individuals personally want. Rousseau believed that laws are legitimate only if they are a direct expression of the general will of the people. This means that, for a government to be just, it must be based on the consent of the governed, but more importantly, it must align with the collective interest, even if individual preferences differ.
While other philosophers like Montesquieu, Voltaire, and John Locke had significant contributions to political theory, none of them promoted the idea of governance through the general will as central to justice. Montesquieu focused on the separation of powers, Voltaire emphasized individual rights and freedoms, and Locke advocated for the protection of life, liberty, and property, but none of these concepts directly centered on the idea of the general will. Rousseau’s emphasis on the collective decision-making process sets him apart as the philosopher most associated with the concept of majority rule or the general will in governance.